Big Actor vs Big Actor SAG-AFTRA Inanity

For days and weeks and now minutes ago, I’ve been bombarded with lists of name actors who are supporting either AFTRA’s AMPTP contract ratification or else SAG’s effort to get AFTRA to renegotiate. (Seriously, is someone going to choose how to vote just because AFTRA paraded Tom Hanks and Sally Field or SAG trotted out Jack Nicholson and Holly Hunter?) Then there are the letters, the membership emails, and all the other nasty missives back and forth between the union heads, most of which I’ve decided against posting for now. I’m sick of it, truly sick of it. This is not news. This is meaningless spin. There’s a reason I am sitting out these propaganda games underway between AFTRA and SAG — because only the AMPTP wins. What I am doing is putting the final touches on a SAG/AFTRA/AMPTP package of urgent news and information that Hollywood needs to absorb. For those who are impatient for the posts, please understand that they represent a lot of research and analysis and fact-checking. Just know I’m working around-the-clock. My goal is the same since the start of all these guild negotiations: to chronicle how Hollywood talent collectively bargains in the face of impossible odds since a handful of Big Media moguls control the movie and TV business and hold all the power.

97 Comments

I find it hard to believe that this town is held hostage by a group of actors that have seen better days. Take a strike vote SAG and see where you stand.

Genuine Anon • on Jun 24, 2008 8:07 pm

My goal is the same as it’s been since the start of all these many guild negotiations: for Hollywood talent to collectively get a good deal in the face of impossible odds since a few Big Media moguls control the movie and TV business and hold all the power

Are the writers and actors you flatter with such whimsical child-like statements such as the above even aware that you’re more than likely just waxing their cars, or are they so deluded that they believe such absurd ultra-simplifications are true? I doubt this comment gets posted, as it’s not another “gee whiz thanks Nikki for all you do for us suffering artists”.

Bless your bones, Nikki. I swear, this SAG/AFTRA/AMPTP bullcrap is the worst.

I look forward to your perspective. And I hope it distills the BS to its core and really strips away the spin. That stuff is just tiresome to read.

Thank you!

duelcarder • on Jun 24, 2008 8:29 pm

Kudos Nikki, and thanks.

Mrs. Wakely • on Jun 24, 2008 8:34 pm

The posts end up in a circle, IATSE blaming SAG, SAG blaming AFTRA, AFTRA, SAG, IATSE blaming AMPTP. Here’s where I stand: “trust, but verify.” It certainly wasn’t Ronald MacDonald Reagan who wrote that, some speechwriter I’d guess, but, the basic point is tried and true and has centuries of precedent: the rich and powerful will screw the weak and powerless. Every. Single. Time. In the early 20th century, the working man in America decided to put their lives and the lives of their families on the line, and they formed UNIONS. The unions ORGANIZED people, regular people, working people, into collectives, that spoke with a thousand, 10 thousand, a million voices, instead of one. They were wretched, tired people, children, working 16 hour days, 7 days a week for a few bucks a week. People DIED to organize work in this country. Many, many, people. Did corruption and graft follow? Of course it did. Did the unions price themselves out of certain businesses? Of course they did. BUT, everyone needs to understand the AMPTP is not the friend of the working actor, writer, director, or crew member. We may treat them as friends, and they us, but when push comes to shove? When they get an edict from on high to cut costs? People, regular working people, crew members, TV directors and AD’s, comedy writers, focus pullers, craft service, wardrobe, become expendable. The AMPTP is OBVIOUSLY pushing hard, as we enter the digital age, to force concessions from the creative unions, because, while they CAN’T see the future, they want to hedge their bets, and just like people who hedge money? IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY. The AMPTP has cost benefit analysis data on their computers that are telling them things like: IF SAG strikes for 4 weeks, what will it cost us? 8 weeks? 16? If we hold the line against residuals for the Internet, against a raise in the DVD residual, against the ability of SAG to collectively bargain force majeure, against a raise in minimums for the average actor, who, our data tells us, brings home around 40 thousand dollars a year, and keeps 22 – IF we hold the line on these items, and SAG, worst case scenario, strikes? WHAT WILL IT COST US VS. WHAT WE WILL MAKE OFF THESE NEGOTIATION WINS DOWN THE LINE? And when Tom Hanks, making 25 million on “Angels and Demons” staying in a 5 star hotel in Italy, looking forward to 10 percent of first dollar gross, says, “VOTE YES ON THE AFTRA DEAL” he’s saying: “GET OUT OF MY WAY – I HAVE A MOVIE TO SHOOT.” Now, how do the rest of the 120,000 members of SAG react to that act of force? Do we, in the tradition of our predecessors, use the POWER OF OUR VOTE in a democratically elected and run UNION to overrule the rich and powerful who NO LONGER NEED THE UNION THAT MADE THEIR CAREER POSSIBLE? Or, do we think, “Well, Tom Hanks seems like a nice, smart guy, he certainly plays them in the movies, why would he steer us wrong?” But somewhere, James Cagney, one of the earliest supporters of SAG, who lived through the depression and started working as an actor in films when they paid you peanuts and worked you 16 hours, 7 days a week, somewhere, James Cagney is snarling, “Shame on you Hanks – you dirty rat.”

just a thought • on Jun 24, 2008 9:20 pm

God Wakely is at it again. Rants with no solution. Are you mad because you work a AFTRA contract or do you really care about your union. That’s right a union not a guild. 120,000 craftsman I don’t think so.
You put down the likes of Hanks and conjure Cagney. Cagney would have kicked Alan, Justine and Francis in the nuts a long time ago. Stars makes this business work not has beens

Tom Hanks deserves to be blacklisted pure and simple. Who does he think he is kidding when he tells people to vote in a horrible AFTRA agreement with the AMPTP. He not only was a struggling actor at one point in his lift, but he had to wear dresses for a series called Blossom Buddies. This is one major person that spits on the SAG and laughs. And the laugh I am referring to is the one from “The Money Pit” where he laughs after his and Shelly Long’s character loses the bathtub after it drops to the first floor. The link to the youtube video is in my name.

frustrated • on Jun 24, 2008 9:47 pm

Make a deal ….our industry and this town has suffered enough. It must be great to be married to Marg and not have to be worried about making your house payment… It’s funny – we hear nothing from the WGA. I bet they are not interested in losing additional income and pension hours.

Michael • on Jun 24, 2008 9:52 pm

Dear Nikki,

I really admire your work but this post makes me go, “Boo-ho for you”.

As a member of both unions I work to stay very involved and up to date about this mess but I don’t feel bombarded although I’m sure you are.

The unions seem to be fighting this in the press and you are getting both more information about the matter then the union’s constituency, as well as, have to deal with more of the vitriol in the heat of the situation.

All this makes me wonder what the hell my unions are doing but I continue to hope that we are working to clean up our shops through this process and that we actors will be stronger in the outcome. All I have is my vote and that has already been cast so now I can only stay informed and read news like your column.

I appreciate your voice on the subject and hope the burden of the unions investing in your opinion doesn’t deter you from the ultimate goal – through thick and thin, we must get a deal that secures the future of the actor.

Sincerely

MM

T. Obvious • on Jun 24, 2008 9:53 pm

120,000 craftsmen? Get serious.

More like 118,000 parking lot attendants and a couple of ADR artists running a bunch of used to be somebody names.

This one’s over folks. Time to piss on the Allens and get back to work.

If we don’t dump those two, what the AFTRA guys say about SAG will be true. The only thing a SAG card will be worth is to get into the movies free.

All the shows will be AFTRA, and all the movies produced somewhere, anywhere except Hollywood.

zackary • on Jun 24, 2008 10:09 pm

These huge money actors like Hanks are all producers in some sense whether they are credited or not. And bully for them. But I hope the rank and file are able to peg them for two-faced millionaire/producers they are when they urge us to vote YES on a crappy contract. Millionaires is what they are and greed is why they are so eager for you to approve any contract that will keep them brining in millions.

Any actor who collects a multi-million dollar paycheck is an enemy of the rank and file SAG actors. These millionaires are taking money out of everyone else in the projects pocket including crew and cast. And I hear the logic of, “without Tom Hanks we wouldn’t even get it produced. So he earns that money.” Well..

If tell you we’re going on a road trip and since my car is the only one that works it’ll cost you $20 million to use my car… I don’t think you like that. But without a car there’s no road trip. But does that make it right for me to collect $20 million all for myself.

Similarly while these bastards like HANKS pull $20 million out of our pockets and then tell us to vote their way…c’mon people. We’re smarter than that (aren’t we?). And remember, SAG only gets a cut of the first one million (a mere .25% on the bulk of that)because of the dues cap. So it’s not like there is any benefit to the rank and file for the additional $19 million that HANKS pockets. I’ll bet a cut of that $19 million– THAT’S 19 MILLION– would help some of us with health care.

Sure we wouldn’t be going anywhere without the $20 Million car. But what money is left for us to buy White Castles on the way? I’m starting to feel hungry and thinking getting screwed might not be all that fun. Maybe we would be better off without the road trip, don’t you think?

You don’t want a Strike HANKS? Me neither. Although I might wanna entertain a REVOLUTION.

Just wondering • on Jun 24, 2008 10:24 pm

While you are attacking Hanks, Clooney and other “Big Name” actors plus a couple thousand others who are currently working what happens if they decide to quit SAG and form a new guild of working actors. Could they do it once the SAG contract expires and negotiate a separate deal with the AMPTP.

sagmember • on Jun 24, 2008 10:31 pm

Please Nikki,

Be careful what you post right now, most actors don’t read their ballot/contract that carefully. Which ever email get through or read is how they will vote or think about it.

The outcome is soooo important to those of us who depend on work to support ourselves. We want a good deal, we hope SAG is out there carving one out for us. I don’t want to see AFTRA voted down, but I’m very upset with them for going off on their own and some deal points that they had no business weighing in on.

I’m following this very closely and I’m conflicted.

Most actors I know are very very confused. Please think carefully, I don’t care if you don’t post this either. I’ve been writing in since the writers strike.

Please think carefully before you write anything from either side that is too much about their own agenda and not the greater good of members and the other worker bees at large. You have a big audience, please use it help us and not just get the most clicks. I beg you!

D. Whalen • on Jun 24, 2008 10:35 pm

What I find truly astonishing, is what do Tom Hanks & Jack Nicholson know about the hardships or middle class actors?!?! When was the last time Tom Hanks did an AFTRA job? When was the last time Jack Nicholson worked for scale? The issues on the table do not affect them in the slightest.

To be frank, the A-list actors making 10-20 million dollar salaries per picture is a huge contributing factor to the plight of the working actor. Five years ago a working actor with a resume had a quote – no more!

I’d be much more interested in hearing from other actors who work both SAG & AFTRA jobs.

Hank Hollyweird • on Jun 24, 2008 10:36 pm

Hey, just a thought, I have another thought for ya: try making a movie with no background players or supporting “non-star” actors and see how far the story goes. You can make a film without big name actors, but you cannot make a film without a supporting cast of mostly no-names. So your little diatribe about “stars” making this business work is just slightly off center.

Just like middle-tier writers (like me) who are the backbone of the WGA, SAG and the movie business in general, needs their so-called “no name” actors to fill the screen. So before you talk out of your ass again, try thinking about the working actor who’s just trying to survive in this business. Hanks and the rest of the 20 million-dollar a picture gang forget what a struggle it is to eck out a meager living in this industry. Those that struggle (and Hanks and co apparently have forgotten their roots) deserve better from those who’ve made it to the top tier. Instead of knocking the struggling actor and working against SAG, Hanks and friends should throw their considerable weight behind the Guild and force the AMPTP to do the right thing and increase pension and insurance benefits, salaries, etc. etc. etc.

To do anything else undercuts SAG and belittles their fellow actors and craftsman.

The worse is that these people ignore they are the dramatis personae in the great Odysseus of modern Hollywoodland written by Nikki Finke. But this time Homer is not blind…

The Craft • on Jun 24, 2008 11:19 pm

Part of the problem with this riduculous and dangerous situation between SAG, AFTRA and the AMPTP is the confusion in most aactors that I know. To clear up that confusion, one has to look at the truth: AFTRA capitulated to the AMPTP for nefarious reasons just like the Congress has capitulated time and time again to George Bush. that only happens with inside help and a lack of integrity to constituents.

I don’t know what percentage of AFTRA’s membership works honorably on radio and game shows but they do not negotiate for SAG.

Acnowledge no precedence by AFTRA. Draw strength from the Writers’ past labor action and make that strike look like a picnic. See you on the picket lines.

There is no confusion, only questions surrounding management’s competence.

just a thought • on Jun 24, 2008 11:33 pm

Yo hank another thought
I did a tv movie 6 years ago. Aftra contract for the actors low ball IA contract. The actress won a Academy award the following year. The DP got an Emmey nomination, didn’t win. The point is we worked for the movie not the money. Yes these producers are money grubbing scumbags, they know nothing about art, but they will suck it dry from us.
The point is either you work for them and have a moment of greatness or you don’t work and “your performance is dead forever”. you pick.

Instead of arguing with each other, we should all be banding together to make product. The AMPTP is engaged in last century thinking, when the means of production cost millions. That has changed dramatically in the last 5 years – so let’s stop playing THEIR game.

See my column in Now Casting’s online newsletter, Actors Ink, today for one way of looking at the new reality … compared to the old way of doing business with THEM.

The only power talent has in this world is the power to deny services.